Try this: Cover up your logo. Now cover the logos on three competitors' sites.
Could a prospect tell which one is yours?
That pause you just felt? That's the issue.
How "Professional" Turned Into "Generic"
There’s a point where a website still works but it no longer represents the standard of the work or the clients you serve now.
So the brief starts the same way every time. Modern. Professional. Credible. Trustworthy.
Reasonable goals. Sensible even. And exactly where your competitors land too.
Over time, the visual language of credibility turned into a constraint. The same stock photos of people nodding at laptops. The same blues and greys. The same vague promises about “partnerships” and “delivering value”.
You set out to signal expertise. You ended up signalling sameness.
Your Website Is Screaming Two Things, Whether You Know It or Not
Every website does. Yours included.
Credential Signals: "We Can Do The Job"
Years in business. Big-name clients. Team credentials. Case studies. Awards.
Important? Absolutely. They're table stakes. But your competitors have a wall of logos too.
Preference Signals: "We're Actually Different"
A clear point of view. Language that sounds like people, not committees. Visuals that feel intentional, not interchangeable.
This is where most professional services firms disappear.
Credentials get you considered. Preference gets you chosen.
The Resume Problem
Most professional services sites are basically glorified resumes. "Here's what we did in 2018. Here's our capability list. Here's our impressive pedigree."
All true. All important. Still not enough.
Because prospects are not visiting your site to validate your existence. They are trying to work out things like:
Do these people understand my world?
How do they actually think about problems?
What would it feel like to work with them week to week?
Would I be proud to put my name next to theirs?
Resume-style websites don't answer any of this. They describe history. They avoid personality.
Where You Actually Sit
Most firms fall into one of three camps:
Could Be Anyone: Template layouts. Generic imagery. Copy that could sell accounting, insurance or IT services without changing a word.
Somewhat Human: Brand colours are present. A few lines feel natural. Some real examples creep in. Still cautious. Still safe.
Unmistakably You: Clear perspective. Confident language. Design that makes competitors look interchangeable. Specific about who they serve and who they don’t.
Most firms tell themselves they sit in the middle. In reality, many are firmly in the first group.
The firms winning premium work? They live in the third.
What Actually Changes When You Stop Blending In
When your site genuinely reflects who you are:
Better leads come through. The right people self-select in. The wrong ones quietly move on.
Sales conversations speed up. Prospects arrive already aligned with how you think.
Pricing pressure eases. Distinctiveness creates value. Generic feels negotiable.
Referrals convert more often. People immediately understand why you were recommended.
Talent notices you. Good people want to work somewhere with a point of view.
None of this happens by accident.
Your Website Is Your Brand in Practice
Brand strategy, identity, messaging and website are not separate exercises.
Your strategy defines who you are.
Your identity makes you recognisable.
Your messaging shows how you think.
Your website is where it either all comes together or quietly falls apart.
When it works, your website becomes a competitive advantage. When it doesn’t, it signals indifference.
What Different Actually Looks Like
Distinctive websites make choices. They do not try to appeal to everyone.
They take a position on their industry. They let personality through without trying to be cute. They are specific about problems, clients and ways of working. They create a feeling, not just a list of services.
You leave knowing what it would be like to work with them.
Here's Your Opening
Most of your competitors are playing it safe. Following the template. Trying to look credible by looking familiar.
That’s the gap.
While they blend in, you can stand out. While they list credentials, you can create preference. While they are forgettable, you can be recognisable.
The firms doing well right now do not have the strongest resumes. They have the clearest presence.
You already are distinctive. Every successful firm is. The real question is whether your website or brand shows it.
Credentials get you noticed. Distinctiveness gets you hired.